


Mind Games

by trashwriter



Series: Kurotsuki Week [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Baseball, Flirting, I Dare You to Date Me, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-30
Updated: 2014-08-30
Packaged: 2018-02-15 08:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2222298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashwriter/pseuds/trashwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Kuroo made it to home base Tsukishima owed him a date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mind Games

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted on my tumblr (trashwriter.tumblr.com)

Without a doubt the best part of playing for a team like Karasuno was that the ace pitcher, Azumane, was so perfectly willing to give up his rights. Unable to handle the pressure and to make his decision he just left all the game calling to Tsukishima or Daichi, who both had cunning natures and analytical minds.

They were in a bit of a pinch, it was just a practice match but it was a practice match against Nekoma. Their ‘fated rivals’ or whatever. Truthfully Tsukishima could care less about the rivalry that had once existed between their schools, despite the fact that it had his idiot teammates fired up. What Tsukishima did care about was that Nekoma’s stupid pudding-haired lead-off had seen right through his lead calling and had made it onto first without trouble, and then the first baseman had sucked it up to put one of Azumane’s killer fastballs on the ground.

Now he had runners on first and third with only one out and the cocky piece of trash Nekoma called their captain was up at bat. Their clean-up batter. There was almost no chance of a double play, not even with the king on first base.

If Kuroo put it on the ground right in front of Azumane or Nishinoya, who was playing short, they could relay to Kageyama and then the king could bring it home with no problems. But Nekoma’s cleanup was tall and strong with long arms, what was worse though was that he was a third year with no fear for Azumane’s impressive throwing speed.

It would be worse though to have him pop it up if he had to hit it, given the runner on third. Tsukishima clicked his tongue against his teeth. He would just have to go head to head with the batter and outwit him.

“Why so surly megane-kun?” teased the batter tapping the dirt off his cleats and giving a few practice swings.

Tsukishima grit his teeth and tried to ignore the cocky shit.

“Worried that I’ll actually get a run off you?” he purred taking his stance, “Would it really be so bad to let me take you out?”

“I’d rather eat underwear, and die.”

The idiot was of course referring to the challenge he’d issued before the match when the teams had been warming up, doing drills and getting ‘acquainted’. If Kuroo made it to home base Tsukishima owed him a date.

Tsukishima had been stupid and overconfident to accept, he should have realized that this guy was the cunning type the second he sauntered over and threw out that infuriating smirk.

“C’mon Tsukki,” he purred again, “Do your worst.”

“Less chatter,” grumbled the umpire, “Play ball!”

Tsukishima sighed trying to get focussed.

Kuroo held himself at the low end of the batter’s box but he had the reach to take a piece out of anything within the strike zone, and the power to send it flying. With his reach though—it was a risk but he called for a killer pitch a little in towards the batter.

Kuroo didn’t flinch, watching the pitch with calculating eyes.

“Strike!”

Alright. Not bad.

Kuroo held them up for a practice swing, and Tsukishima could practically hear the ringing tock of aluminum bat striking ball if he dared call for something along that trajectory again. A breaking ball then.

Tsukishima took a glance over Azumane, it was early on in the game and he was locating his pitches well, and Nishinoya was in an ideal position to deal with a grounder. He tapped his shoulder making eye contact with Kageyama and received a glare in return.

Tsukishima had to smirk at that, the king would do his job.

He called for the fork, it had speed and drop and was hard for long-limbed batters to get a hold of, for Tsukishima it was Azumane’s most troublesome pitch.

Azumane looked reluctant but sent it down the middle again, a little farther out than Tsukishima might have liked but that was inevitable. Kuroo swung at that one and—shit took a piece of it.

It fouled off sending the chain link behind them ringing.

“Foul ball!”

Something different then. A curve? It was Azumane’s favourite breaking ball and he could locate it almost as well as the fastball. Not yet, Tsukishima decided. That would be the finisher. He needed something to rattle Kuroo. Something he wouldn’t expect.

Did he really like it out? It would be prudent to at least check. Okay then, a high fastball, something a little slower towards the edge of the plate. A ball would be fine at this point but he’d take the strike if he could get it.

Azumane nodded and pulled the pitch a bit letting it keep high and fast.

There was a gorgeous tock as Kuroo swung and made contact. Crap he’d forgotten to take the runner on third into account.

“Shit! Tanaka! Ennoshita! It’s left!”

“Kenma! No slide!” called the base coach as Nekoma’s catcher made it home with a lacklustre expression.

“Oraaaahhh!” cried Tanaka, loud enough that you could hear him all the way in the stands.

Tsukishima had never been so relieved to see him dive for the catch.

“Third!” called Daichi.

Tanaka popped the ball to Ennoshita who threw it cleanly back to Daichi. It was close.

“Out! Out!” called the umpire.

Tsukishima breathed a sigh of relief pulling off his mask and helmet as he rose from his crouch. Too close.

“Nice double-play,” grinned Kuroo, veering to pass by him on his way to the dugout, “That was pretty risky, giving me such a nice ball with all those runners on. Am I getting in your head Tsukki? Or is it really that you want to go out with me after all.”

“You’re very full of himself for someone who popped such a nice ball. That might’ve been your best chance to win our little challenge,” teased Tsukishima pushing up his glasses in order to better look down his nose at the cocky shit.

“Don’t worry Tsukki, we’ve got five more innings to go, that’s plenty of time to win you for myself.”


End file.
